In my opinion nothing beats the taste of a tomato fresh from the garden. Research has shown that tomatoes are the most popular crop grown by home gardeners and the popularity of growing this great fruit is rapidly rising. Tomatoes need a long growing season therefore gardeners in colder areas must sow there tomato seeds indoors or buy seedlings from the garden center early in the year.

Tomatoes take 14-15 weeks from sowing to being ready to harvest however this can vary on the weather, your location and the variety. Seeds bought from a reputable supplier should last for 3-5 years depending upon the variety.

Sowing tomato seeds on the windowsill is one of the commonest ways to sow them and always produces good results. Sow each seed in a 7.5cm plastic pot, lightly covering the seeds with multi-purpose compost. Ensure the compost is moist but not waterlogged before sowing.

Place the pot in a warm draught free place, preferably a windowsill. After 7-10 days you should be able to see the small tomato seedlings growing, once this happens you should move the plants to a light position that is out of direct sunlight.

If for some reason you have more than one seedling per pot you should thin the seedlings to one plant per pot.

When choosing tomato plants you must seriously consider the growth habit. There are three different types of tomatoes which are "determinate", "indeterminate", and "semi-determinate".

The determinate varieties are short and bushy and are around 90cm tall, these plants don't usually need support.

Semi-determinate tomatoes are the middle type. They grow 3-5 foot tall and are considered the 'average' type to grow.

Indeterminate varieties grow 5-7 foot tall (depending on the variety) and will require some support.

More importantly you need to select the variety that you wish to grow. There are literally thousands of different varieties so there are a lot to choose from. Ask local gardeners which variety grows best for them as they will be able to provide the bests incite to the top varieties in your area.

Tomatoes like very warm soil as well as a warm air temperature. Tomato seedlings should be planted in the garden one or two weeks after last frost in your area. If you are planting the tomatoes in the ground they should be planted 18 inches apart in rows which are 30 inches apart. If planting in a grow bag you can plant 2 tomatoes per grow bag. You can also plant determinate varieties in hanging baskets too, just plant one plant per hanging basket.

You should pick the tomatoes when fully ripe. The pick the tomato you should hold it in the palm of your hand and carefully pull until the tomato falls into your hand. If the tomato is ready it should come off the plant easily.

If the tomatoes do not ripen on the plant by the end of the season the best option is to pick all of the tomatoes and place them in a dark place with a banana. This encourages the tomatoes to turn red and ripen. The tomatoes should be fully ripened within a week.